Blue Ice Cave Tour, Jökulsárlón

4.9 (16 reviews)
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Mariam
Mariam M.
Dec 03, 2024
Our guide was very knowledgeable and funny. The experience itself was really cool and definitely something I'd recommend.
R
Rachel H.
Oct 23, 2024
Extraordinary experience. Very good and attentive guide. BUT We should have been worn that this is not an easy trip. It involved country driving and ice... Read more
Andrew
Andrew H.
Apr 05, 2024
This was pretty crazy overall. The drive up to the glacier makes you feel like you are on another planet. It's quite adventurous including the hike... Read more
Abraham Sebastian
Abraham Sebastian K.
Mar 21, 2024
Was great. Tom (from Devon, UK) was an awesome guide. And based on his recommendations we had one of the best fish and chips ever from... Read more
Gilbert
Gilbert K.
Feb 26, 2024
We used Blue Cave Adventure and our guide was very knowledgeable, friendly and an absolute joy to have. The caves were incredible to see and should... Read more
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Overview

Walking through the electric-blue ice cave of the Vatnajökull glacier is an experience you won't soon forget! The tour begins after meeting your expert and friendly guides at the parking lot of Jökulsárlón, about 2.5 hours east of Vik along the Ring Road. Your guide will take you by Jeep up the glacier and share information about the cave and this exciting excursion.

Upon arrival at the cave, you'll enjoy a short walk through the glacial landscape and learn more about the world-famous Vatnajökull glacier and the surrounding areas. If you're a Game of Thrones fan, your guide will point out some of the filming locations of the popular series, plus those of other productions that took place in the area.

Then, it's time to explore the cave! Ice caves, in general, are stunning natural phenomena and true bucket-list items when traveling in Iceland during wintertime. Standing inside an ancient glacier is a surreal experience, especially when it holds a natural blue hue in various shades and formations.

There are several caves in the vicinity, and because the structure and positions can vary greatly, your guide will lead you through those with the safest and best conditions. If the circumstances are ideal, you might be able to visit other formations, such as ice tunnels and crevasses.

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Travelers often mention

Summarized by AI based on kimkim traveler reviews

Stunning Glacier Caves

Multiple reviews highlight the beauty and uniqueness of the glacier caves, describing them as incredible, beautiful, and a must-see. (7 mentions)

F
“It was an unreal experience to walk on and in the largest glacier in Europe.”  — finley B.
Shannon
“The cave itself was beautiful to see but sad to think about how the glacier keeps getting smaller each year.”  — Shannon C.
Gilbert
“The caves were incredible to see and should be a must on your list of things to do.”  — Gilbert K.
Memorable Experience

Many mention this as a once-in-a-lifetime or unforgettable experience, emphasizing its uniqueness and the emotional impact it had. (5 mentions)

F
“This was by far my family's favorite tour.”  — finley B.
Molly
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that my family and I will never forget!”  — Molly W.
Katie
“Our tour guide Tate was amazing and made this a terrific experience we won't soon forget!”  — Katie F.
Knowledgeable Guides

Several reviews praise the guides for being knowledgeable, friendly, patient, and ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience. (4 mentions)

Molly
“He was patient with our questions and with taking photos, he shared many insights about the glaciers, the caves, and healthy respect for nature, and we could not have had a better tour.”  — Molly W.
Gilbert
“our guide was very knowledgeable, friendly and an absolute joy to have.”  — Gilbert K.
Molly
“He had a good sense of humor, which he balanced with helpful notes about being cautious and safe inside the cave, and he was committed to making sure that everyone in our group had a good experience.”  — Molly W.
Great Photo Opportunities

Reviewers appreciated the ample time given for taking photos and mentioned capturing beautiful and dramatic pictures inside the caves. (3 mentions)

Gilbert
“Our guide gave us plenty of time to get our photos.”  — Gilbert K.
R
“The cave was beautiful and we got some very beautiful pictures.”  — Rupali T.
John
“Large enough to have many areas to see and photograph”  — John F.

Traveler reviews

16 total ratings, 14 with reviews
4.9
Feature ratings
Quality of Experience
4.9
Guides, Drivers and Staff
4.9
Transport
4.5
Mariam
Mariam M.
San Jose, CA | Reviewed on Dec 03, 2024
Our guide was very knowledgeable and funny. The experience itself was really cool and definitely something I'd recommend. Read more

Our guide was very knowledgeable and funny. The experience itself was really cool and definitely something I'd recommend.

Tips for future travelers

Bring gloves, a hat, and make sure to wear waterproof outer layers. Also bring good hiking shoes.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
R
Rachel H.
Germany | Reviewed on Oct 23, 2024
Extraordinary experience. Very good and attentive guide. BUT
We should have been worn that this is not an easy trip. It involved country driving and ice climbing for quite some time. Not a hike in the park.
Gorgeous sight! We do not regret it though. Read more

Extraordinary experience. Very good and attentive guide. BUT
We should have been worn that this is not an easy trip. It involved country driving and ice climbing for quite some time. Not a hike in the park.
Gorgeous sight! We do not regret it though.

Tips for future travelers

It's a hussle

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Andrew
Andrew H.
Atlanta, GA | Reviewed on Apr 05, 2024
This was pretty crazy overall. The drive up to the glacier makes you feel like you are on another planet. It's quite adventurous including the hike up to the caves but they provide crampons and there is a rope you can use for support. Once you are there it's worth the effort. Caves were amazing to walk through and even with a bit of a crowd they did not rush us at all. Read more

This was pretty crazy overall. The drive up to the glacier makes you feel like you are on another planet. It's quite adventurous including the hike up to the caves but they provide crampons and there is a rope you can use for support. Once you are there it's worth the effort. Caves were amazing to walk through and even with a bit of a crowd they did not rush us at all.

Tips for future travelers

Be prepared for the drive as it is a bit longer than we expected, and dress warm. The wind was crazy so I would suggest a scarf or face covering. Save time to spend at the meeting location as there are great food trucks and Diamond Beach is right there - a must see.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Abraham Sebastian
Abraham Sebastian K.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Mar 21, 2024
Was great. Tom (from Devon, UK) was an awesome guide. And based on his recommendations we had one of the best fish and chips ever from the food truck. Read more

Was great. Tom (from Devon, UK) was an awesome guide. And based on his recommendations we had one of the best fish and chips ever from the food truck.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tom was fantastic
Transport
Gilbert
Gilbert K.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Feb 26, 2024
We used Blue Cave Adventure and our guide was very knowledgeable, friendly and an absolute joy to have. The caves were incredible to see and should be a must on your list of things to do. Our guide gave us plenty of time to get our photos. Read more

We used Blue Cave Adventure and our guide was very knowledgeable, friendly and an absolute joy to have. The caves were incredible to see and should be a must on your list of things to do. Our guide gave us plenty of time to get our photos.

Tips for future travelers

If you want to see the blue colors of the caves you should bring a tripod and leave your headlamp off to achieve sharp blue photos.

Quality of Experience
We were with a friendly group of people and to walk on the glacier and to see how beautiful the caves were are something that I will not soon forget!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The driver was our guide and she was so polite and friendly and shared wonderful knowledge and stories with us. She was well prepared and always made sure that we were properly prepared and safe.
Transport
The meeting point was in the parking lot of Glacier Lagoon which was very convenient. The vehicle that took us to the caves was designed to handle the very rough conditions of the trails to get you to the caves. The also provided helmets with headlamps and crampons.
F
finley B.
Richardson, TX | Reviewed on Dec 29, 2023
This was by far my family's favorite tour. I would do this over and over again. It was an unreal experience to walk on and in the largest glacier in Europe. Read more

This was by far my family's favorite tour. I would do this over and over again. It was an unreal experience to walk on and in the largest glacier in Europe.

Tips for future travelers

This is a must book!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Molly
Molly W.
Portland, ME | Reviewed on Nov 22, 2023
This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that my family and I will never forget! First of all, the fact that the tour takes you inside a glacier is phenomenal. Our guide, Damian, was a delight. He had a good sense of humor, which he balanced with helpful notes about being cautious and safe inside the cave, and he was committed to making sure that everyone in our group had a good experience. He sensed that our mom might need a little extra help getting into and around inside the cave, and he... Read more

This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that my family and I will never forget! First of all, the fact that the tour takes you inside a glacier is phenomenal. Our guide, Damian, was a delight. He had a good sense of humor, which he balanced with helpful notes about being cautious and safe inside the cave, and he was committed to making sure that everyone in our group had a good experience. He sensed that our mom might need a little extra help getting into and around inside the cave, and he calmly and politely provided assistance. He was patient with our questions and with taking photos, he shared many insights about the glaciers, the caves, and healthy respect for nature, and we could not have had a better tour.

Tips for future travelers

Definitely bring waterproof outer layers! It rained on the day we visited, which we were told is very common. There is not much shelter at the main parking area, so we sat inside the superjeep while we waited to depart. Then we walked for several minutes in the open air to get to the cave and again to return to the vehicle. Even our "waterproof" layers were soaked by the end! And we didn't anticipate the tiny particles of volcanic ash that coated all of our wet gear. All of that did not dampen our mood or our experience, though!

Quality of Experience
Inside the cave is so beautiful and magical!! Unlike anything I have ever seen.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Damian was a true gem, and we feel lucky to have had him as our guide!
Transport
We were definitely safe the entire ride to and from the glacier, though the terrain is very bumpy in the superjeep, and it's a fairly long ride.
Katie
Katie F.
Westminster, MD | Reviewed on Mar 31, 2023
Our tour guide Tate was amazing and made this a terrific experience we won't soon forget! Read more

Our tour guide Tate was amazing and made this a terrific experience we won't soon forget!

Quality of Experience
Small group, unique experience, adventurous, but safe!
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tate was an expert, funny, and very personable
Transport
R
Rupali T.
Morrisville, NC | Reviewed on Nov 27, 2022
The cave was beautiful and we got some very beautiful pictures. The hike was simple but it was pouring the whole time with wind gusts up to 17mps - although we did get wet completely, put outer layer kept us warm and did not freeze us. Read more

The cave was beautiful and we got some very beautiful pictures. The hike was simple but it was pouring the whole time with wind gusts up to 17mps - although we did get wet completely, put outer layer kept us warm and did not freeze us.

Tips for future travelers

If traveling from USA, make sure your outer layers and gloves are - winter, wind and water proof. Our pants were winter and wind proof but only water resistance - that meant ( which we figured later) the water soaked us in but the pant did not show as if it was wet. The gloves were a sham and did not keep warm or water proof. Our footwear was the best investment - they were hiking water proof winter boots. Also the jackets came through on all the boxes. So bottom line this hike is simple but do not take lightly when they say to focus on layers and outer wear

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
John
John F.
Columbus, IN | Reviewed on Oct 17, 2022
Wow. This was my favorite activity of our trip. From the bumpy van ride to the parking area to the hike through the glacial moraine valley to get to the cave, just getting there was an adventure. The cave itself is beautiful and dramatic. Large enough to have many areas to see and photograph. I consider this a unique experience. There aren't many places where you can explore underneath a glacier. Read more

Wow.

This was my favorite activity of our trip. From the bumpy van ride to the parking area to the hike through the glacial moraine valley to get to the cave, just getting there was an adventure. The cave itself is beautiful and dramatic. Large enough to have many areas to see and photograph. I consider this a unique experience. There aren't many places where you can explore underneath a glacier.

Tips for future travelers

Multiple tour operators run trips to this cave, and so you will not be alone. While the cave is beautiful and has many photo opportunities, you won't likely have any without other people in them, so set your expectations accordingly. The road to the parking area is very bumpy and twisty. It is not in the least bit dangerous, but if you are prone to motion sickness you might take precautions. It takes twenty minutes or more to get to the parking area, and the same back to the road. The walk from the parking area to the glacier takes around 20 minutes. There is no paved path, but the path that is there is easy to navigate and doesn't require any special strength or ability to cover. You will need to be able to walk on your own and step over and on some rocks along the way. Anyone in average health will do just fine.

Quality of Experience
Magnificent scenery to and from the cave, and the absolutely beautiful cave itself. The whole trip was an adventure.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide, Andrea, was excellent. She was engaging, and knew the area well, providing history, science, and climatological information all along the way, as well as being a great driver and entertainer.
Transport
The ride to the parking area was an adventure in and of itself. Some will disagree because it is very bumpy and twisty, but it's clear that you are going somewhere off the beaten path!

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